Singapore

Unique is the word that best captures Singapore – a dynamic, cosmopolitan city-state where different cultures, ethnic groups and religions blend harmoniously. A bridge between the East and the West for centuries, Singapore, located in the heart of fascinating Southeast Asia, continues to embrace tradition and modernity today. Brimming with unbridled energy and bursting with exciting events, the city-state offers countless unique memorable experiences waiting to be discovered. Singapore is relatively easy to manuever around town especially for the first time hesitant visitor to Southeast Asia with its state-of-the art infrastructure and modern conveniences.

The island of Singapore lies off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula between the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. Singapore encompasses 59 tiny islands that lie off its southern coast. About 23 percent of Singapore's land area consists of forest, nature reserves and rainforest, primarily Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The tropical climate of Singapore is largely characterised by its high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperatures average around 88° F in the day and 75° F at night.

Stately colonial buildings constructed during British rule mark central Singapore. North of the Singapore River, the Padang is a rectangular playing field where sporting events from cricket and hockey to soccer and rugby are played on a weekly basis. The area is surrounded by City Hall, the Supreme Court, Parliament House and the Singapore Cricket Club. On the Eastern side of the Padang and running along Connaught Drive from Anderson Bridge to Stamford Road is Esplanade Park along the seafront. Esplanade Park also boasts a performing arts center, the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. The building resembles Asia's king of fruits, the delicious but stinky durian.


Merlion Park, a 2500 square meter park area on the Singapore River and at the Anderson Bridge has become a popular tourist attraction and a famous of great cities of the world. Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the then Prime Minister of Singapore, officiated the installation ceremony of the mythical Merlion on 15 September 1972. A bronze plaque commemorated the auspicious occasion with the inscription, "The Merlion has been erected as a symbol to welcome all visitors to Singapore". The area also comprises a promontory with terraced seating, and a viewing deck to hold up to 300 people as well as a boat landing point that allows visitors to disembark from river taxis. The viewing deck provides photographers with unrivalled vistas of the Merlion against the city skyline and the scenic Marina Bay that includs The Fullerton Hotel and the Esplanade. Today, the Merlion attracts more than one million visitors a year who make the trip to the Merlion Park to photograph this world famous half-fish half-lion icon.

Above Bras Bash Road on Beach Road is the famous Raffles Hotel. Raffles Hotel is a jewel in the crown of Singapore's hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence in service and facilities. In multicultural Singapore, the visionary founders of Raffles Hotel were a quartet of enterprising Armenian brothers: Martin, Tigran, Aviet and Arshak Sarkies. Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in a rather sombre-looking old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Tropical suites and sola topis were as much a part of Raffles Hotel's early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world's most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty including Joseph Conrad, Noel Coward, Somerset Maugham, Charlie Chaplin, and Michael Jackson. It is here that the Singapore Sling, the pink drink originally intended for ladies, was cretated in 1915 by a Hainanese bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon. Declared a National Monument in 1987, the hotel has grown with its restoration and reopening in 1991.


Situated along Singapore River, Clarke Quay is a festival village combining entertainment, waterfront recreation, food and shopping outlets housed in restored warehouses and shophouses, some dating back to the late 1880s when they were runned by predominantly Chinese traders. Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, the second governor of Singapore, Clarke Quay is energetic at night and can usually supply a good atmosphere and free entertainment at the central gazebo.



Orchard Road, the city's most exciting retail and entertainment hub, is a popular attraction amongst tourists and locals in Singapore. Whatever your budget is, you can almost always find something to buy. Most shopping centres have an anchor tenant (usually a major department store) and other smaller retailers. Gems for the picking range from designer labels from around the world, mid-range goods, Swis watches, state-of-the-art Japanese electronics, Italian furniture, and budget items. Some popular department stores and malls to check out are C.K. Tang, touted as Singapore's "Harrods" under the green-and-red tiled Chinese roof and columns; Ngee Ann City, one of the largest malls with seven floors in Southeast Asia packed with upscale shops; Isetan at the blue-colored Wisma Atria; flagship Robinson's at Centrepoint; Scotts; and Plaza Singapura, one of the first malls on Orchard. Even if you are not interested in Singapore's national pastime of shopping, Orchard Road has the most modern mall architecture in the world such as the red temple-like form of Ngee Ann City. On a practical level, Orchard Road functions as Singapore's living room, a place where the locals socialize, shop, watch movies, eat, stroll and flirt with numerous nightspots, bars, major international hotels, lounges, pubs, cafes, and restaurants.



Sentosa is Singapore's most popular leisure and recreation resort, transformed from a military area in 1972. Attractions found on the island include a village featuring Asian food, arts and crafts, beautiful architecture, a butterfly and insect museum, a wax museum, an underwater aquarium and an orchid garden. Enjoy a scenic cable car ride to the island and observe the 37-metre tall Merlion Tower soaring in the sky.

Acclaimed by zoologists and tourists as one of the best zoos in the world, Singapore Zoo is set in 170 acres of parkland next to a lake. There are more than 1600 animals in residence and 170 different species, fifty percent of which are endangered species from South-East Asia. The Night Safari, opened in 1994, is the world's first and only night zoo, which provides a rare opportunity to see nocturnal animals in their active state.





Close to the center of the city and situated near Orchard Road, the 130 acre Singapore Botanic Gardens serves as a peaceful sanctuary combining both primary forest jungle and manicured lawns in a tropical island park setting. Swans, ducks and turtles inhabit the lakes. Orchestral music can sometimes be heard from the free outdoor concerts. There are numerous plant species here, including many rare specimens, that reflect the Gardens' richness and diversity of plant life. The specialty gardens display frangipanis, roses, ferns and desert plants, to name a few. It also houses the 7.4-acre Singapore Orchid Garden featuring more than 3000 orchids.

The ethnic districts of Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India are testimonies to the island nation's rich ethnic, cultural and historical heritage. The districts are home to religious monuments as well as quaint shophouses, from traditional herbs and textiles to decorative items and antiques. Try the Tanjong Pagar area for traditional tea shops, painted masks, waxed paper umbrellas and lacquerware. Then wander over to Smith Street, Trengganu Street, Temple Street and Pagoda Street where the streets are at their narrowest and the bargains at their best. On the southern end of South Bridge Street is the entrance gateway of the Sri Mariamman Temple. This amazing tower depicts some 72 Hindu deities in vivid color. Sri Mariamman is the oldest Hindu place of worship still in use on the island. The complex is surrounded by a boundary wall topped with figures of sacred cows.


If you are in Singapore in the August or September time frame, Singapore celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival that is observed every 15th day of the eighth lunar month when the moon is believed to be at its fullest. Chinatown greets this festival with street light-ups, nightly festive bazaars and colorful street performances. Partake in the celebrations by lighting up a lantern and trying festive treats such as mooncakes, pomelos and specialty teas.

London, England - Part 3

Since the British rock explosion in the 1960's, London hasn't let up on the number of clubs featuring home-grown talent. The West End in general and Soho in particular has a number of intimate places featuring every kind of music known. The term "West End" when applied to theater, refers to commercial theaters around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden. Major companies include the Royal Court Theatre, Royal National Theatre and Shakespeare Globe Theatre. The Society of London Theatres (SOLT) operates a discount ticket booth on the south side of Leicester Square where tickets for many shows are available at half price or at a discount for over 30 performances every day. They also offer tickets in advance at full price for theatre, rock, pop, sport and other events. Tickets sell out fast, so make sure you arrive early. There is also a discount ticket booth at Brent Cross Shopping Centre. The booths only sell discount theatre tickets for performances on the same day and you have to show up in person. You can bag cheap tickets to a wide choice of productions; big hit musicals, comedy, dance and opera, even hits like Mamma Mia to Billy Eliot. Expect to pay around £10–£25. All West End theaters are closed on Sundays. Check out the listings magazine Time Out that details around 60 off-West End theaters and fringe venues where you'll see some of the most original drama in London. The best-known fringe venues include Almeida Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, and Soho Theatre. Scan http://www.lastminute.com/ for short-notice discounts of up to 50% on theater, musicals, comedy, cinema, concerts, and even VIP entry to nightclubs.

Take the trains from Paddington Station for a day excursion to visit Windsor Castle that is claimed to be the largest inhabited castle in the world and it's on a site that has been a home to monarchs for more than 900 years. Located about 20 miles from London on the Thames, the castle is the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen and sits on 4800 acres of lawn, woodlands, and lakes. The Castle covers an area of about 13 acres and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs), and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature. During the winter months an additional five rooms, known collectively as the Semi-State Rooms, are included in the visitor route. Standard admission charges apply. The Semi-State Rooms are open to the public from Saturday 26 September 2009 to the end of March 2010.

The British Museum, with it's 2-acre Great Court main south entrance with its stunning steel-and-glass roof, houses an unmatched collecton of antiquities, most of which are the spoils of empire. Important finds from Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Cyprus share this warehouse of history with spectacular collections from Asia and the Middle East. The Rosetta Stone sits at the entrance to the Egyption Sculpture Gallery; the sculptures from the Parthenon known as the Elgin Marbles, are the most famous of the museum's extensive collection of Greek Antiquities which the city of Athens want back. The British Library Galleries include two copies of the Magna Carta (1215), Shakespeare's First Folio (1623), and Gutenberg Bible (1453). Admission is free. Travelling via the Tube, the nearest Underground stations are: Holborn (approximately 7 minutes on foot); Tottenham Court Road (approx. 6 minutes on foot); Russell Square (approx. 10 minutes on foot); and Goodge Street (approx. 13 minutes on foot).

A visit to London isn't complete without a trip to Tate Modern. Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art from around the world is housed in the former Bankside Power Station on the South Bank of the Thames, opposite St. Paul's Cathedral. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall runs the length of the entire building and you can see amazing work for free by artists such as Cézanne, Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, Dalí, Pollock, Warhol and Bourgeois. Set aside half a day for this visit.

After visiting the Tate Modern, visit St. Paul's Cathedral across the Millenium Bridge on the other side of the Thames which is the seat of the Bishop of London and a major London landmark. It is located on Ludgate Hill in the financial district known as the City of London. The present St. Paul's Cathedral, which was built between 1675 and 1710, is the fourth cathedral to occupy the site, which was sacred even before Christianity arrived. The cathedral's immediate predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981 had their wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral. In 2002, the Queen had a ceremony of thanksgiving here to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. The cathedral enjoyed by visitors today was designed by court architect Sir Christopher Wren. Wren's original, grander plan met with considerable resistance from the conservative Dean and Chapter. The present building reflects a compromise, but still reflects the grandeur of Wren's design.

Shopping is a British buzz and with around 30,000 stores, nowhere is buzzier or busier than London. The West End is the heart of London shopping. Its main artery is Oxford Street, a mile of mass-market chains and department stores like John Lewis, Selfridges, and Marks & Spencer. At the eastern end, St. Giles High Street is the gateway into Covent Garden, a warren of narrow streets lined iwth stores selling quirky specialties and the hottest fashion trends. Oxford Circus is the first big intersection walking west along Oxford Street, where it crosses Regent Street. Turning south is Liberty, Austin Reed, and Hamleys. The next landmark westwards is New Bond Street which changes to Old Bond Street as it heads south through Mayfair. It's wonderful for designer window-shopping and for fine art and antiques. Both Regent Street and Old Bond Street run into Piccadilly with its seriously upper-crust shopping. Continue west from Piccadilly and Hyde Park Corner to posh Knightsbridge and the world-famous Harrods department store on Brompton Road. Sloane Street is lined with the most rarified names in haute couture. Sloane Street runs down to Sloane Square and King's Road in Chelsea. King's Road contains a lot of mainstream boutiques and some streetwise avant-garde, but it was the center of Swinging London in the 1960's and of the punk revolution a decade later.

London, England - Part 2

London will never be a cheap thrill, but fortunately, in addition to the top-dollar draws, there are now scads of free museums, galleries and historic buildings. Depending upon the amount of time you have to spend in London, here's an itinerary for 1-2 days that you can undertake either at a leisurely or fast pace when you are ready to venture out and take in a big heaping dose of London attractions.

Take the Tube to Charing Cross or Embankment and cross into Trafalgar Square, London's unofficial hub. Here, the commercial West End meets the Mall, the regal avenue that leads to Buckingham Palace and governmental Whitehall. Nelson's Column, in the middle of the square, is the triumphal memorial to England's victory over Napoleon in 1805.

The National Gallery with the National Portrait Gallery faces the Nelson' Column to the north. The National Gallery is Britain's national art collecton comprising of more than 2,300 paitings dating from 1260 to 1510 by such artists as Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. The National Portrait Gallery on St. Martin's Place contains a gallery of 10,000 paintings and 250,000 photographs charting the history of the national through its famous faces and celebrities. The curators have consigned Helmut Newton's portrait of Margaret Thatcher to the historical section to make way for David Beckham and J.K. Rowling. The permanent collection is displayed chronologically with Henry VII, Henry VIII and Sir Thomas Eliot by Sir Jacob Epstein. There are amateur artists on display as well including one of Jane Austen by her sister and the three Bronte sisters painted by their brother Branwell.

The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is east at about 2 o'clock. This church is one of the best-loved in London. Designed by James Gibbs, the intricate plasterwork ceiling enhances the simple nave. The parish boundary passes throught the middle of Buckingham Palace and the names of many royal children appear on the baptismal registry. St. Martin's is famous for its music. Handel had played the organ here. There are free concerts and evening recitals leaning heavily toward the baroque.

Turn down Whitehall and visit Banqueting House to see the nine magnificent allegoric ceiling paintings by Rubens. This is all that remains of the great Palace of Whitehall after the fire of 1698. A masterpiece of English Renaissance, the main hall was used for posh banqueting as it is still today with the Ruben ceiling paintings depicting the Divine Right of Kings. There is also a crypt where the king could get drunk with his mates. A bust of Charles I above the entrance reminds visitors that he was beheaded in front of the building. Depending upon the time, you can watch the Changing of the Guard across the road at Horse Guards (at 11am Mon-Sat, 10am on Sun).

Walking on down Whitehall, you'll come to the Cenotaph, the moving memorial to all those who fell in the two world wars. No. 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official residence, is right opposite. It was too small for the Blair family when Tony Blair was prime minister so they moved into no. 11 instead. Whitehall ends in Parliament Square which is flanked by Big Ben, the spectacular Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey.


A brief detour to this itinerary or depending upon how much time you want to spend, then plan for an entirely different day, would be from Parliament Square to go across the beautiful St. James Park to arrive at Buckingham Palace. Confirm, but if you arrive early enough, you can watch the roughly 11:30A Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. This is Her Majesty's official London residence. You know she is there when the royal standard is flying. The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, occupy only 12 of the palace's 600 rooms. The rest are used by the royal housefhold as offices and for royal functions, banquets, and investitures. Until recently Buckingham Palace was not available for public tours, and the only guests allowed in the palace were there by royal invitation. The Buckingham Palace of today, however, welcomes travelers in for a Buckingham Palace Tour 8 weeks out of the year. A tour in Buckingham Palace will now take guests through the State Room, the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, and the Picture Gallery that features many world-renowned works of art. A Buckingham Palace Tour may only be booked during August and September each year when the family is on holiday, and tickets may be purchased in advance, or at the palace ticket office on Buckingham Palace Road. Ticket lines for a tour in Buckingham Palace tend to be quite long, so if you are know which day you plan to visit in advance, it is a good idea to purchase your tickets online or over the phone.


The Houses of Parliament with its trademark clock tower, Big Ben, is the ultimate symbol of London. Edward the Confessor built the first palace here and the site was home to the monarchy and court until Henry VII's time when in 1834, a fire lit to burn the Exchequer's tally sticks got out of control. Charles Barry designed the current Houses of Parliament (1840).

Westminster Abbey is a Benedictine abbey which housed a community of monks as early as A.D. 750. It is neither a cathedral nor a parish church, but a profoundly moving site of coronations and funerals subject only to the sovereign. Westminster Abbey has played a prominent role in British history including the funeral of Princess Diana and in 2002, of the Queen Mother. All but two coronations since 1066 have taken place here. When not in use, the Coronation Chair built in 1300 sits behind the High Altar. Five kings and four queens including half-sisters Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots, are buried in the beautiful, fan-vaulted Chapel of Henry VII. In 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer became the first literaruy celebrity to be buried in Poets' Corner. Others included Browning and Tennyson. Westminster Abbey is one of the most popular tourist attractions in London and tends to be packed in the summer months.

Then walk across the Westminster Bridge and take a flight on the British Airways London Eye. Not technically a Ferris wheel because the cabs are on the outside of the giant hoop, passengers on the Eye can see straight into the Buckingham Palace garden much to the Queen's annoyance. The giant 443-foot high observation wheel on the south bank is the world's tallest. For a pricey $25, the 1/2 hour, very slow-mo flight gives you an unforgettable 25-mile bird's eye view of the London landmarks and the capital.

London, England - Part 1

London attracts more American visitors than any other city in Europe. When you are in London, you are in one of the world's most exciting cities. The American tourists are drawn by world-class museums, top shops, unparallel theater, and a pulsating nightlife. An air of excitement electrifies London. Cars, buses, taxis and people swirl through the streets with direction and purpose.

London, capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, seat of the royal family, Parliament and government, lies in a gently undulating basin enclosed by hills on both banks of the Thames River some 50 miles above its estuary into the North Sea. The "Greenwich Meridian", longitude 0°, runs through the London suburb of Greenwich. London is not only the financial and cultural center of Great Britain but also one of the most interesting cities in the world where people from all different countries have made their contribution to a cultural melting pot which finds expression in music, theater, dance, literature, and not least, gastronomy. The Thames, which follows a winding course through London, divides the city into a northern and southern part, with the main tourist sights lying on the northern bank. The City is the oldest part of London and only covers an area of about the original one square mile of the Roman settlement of Londinuium.

Getting around London is relatively easy using the London Underground or the Tube. The Tube reaches almost everywhere and like freeways, you start witha few main ones then branch out. By the second or third day, you will feel like a local. There is a pay-in-advance Oyster card that you can use to hop on and off the subway and buses that will save you some money than paying cash for each time.

The Majesty's Tower of London is situated in East London on the boundaries of the boroughs of Stepney and the City of London. Directly south, spanning the River Thames, lies the famous Tower Bridge. Take the Circle or District line on the Tube to Tower Hill station.

The Tower Bridge , named after its two impressive towers, is one of London's best known landmarks and possibly the most celebrated and photographed bridge in the world. This Victorian Bridge was designed by Wolfe Barry and Horace Jones and completed in 1894. The middle of the bridge can be raised to permit large vessels to pass the Tower Bridge. It used to be raised about 50 times a day, but nowadays it is only raised 4 to 5 times a week. The twin towers are made of steel clad in stone and inside, there are interactive exhibits tracing its history and construction in the north tower and the old (pre-1976) hydraulics that were used to raise and lower the bridge in the south tower.

Nearby, the Tower of London is the most important building in England and the most visited of London's attractions. The most perfectly preserved medieval fortress in Britain reverberate with dark secrets and holds some of the most remarkable stories from across the centuries. Despite a grim reputation as a place of torture and death, it was a stronghold which was many times besieged but never taken; it was a royal palace (until the time of James I), a prison (still used during the last war, when one of its inmates was Rudolf Hess), a mint (until the opening of the Royal Mint nearby in 1810), a treasure vault (still containing the Crown Jewels), an observatory (until the establishment of Greenwich Observatory in 1675) and for five centuries (until 1834) a menagerie before becoming a national monument.

Gaze up at the oldest part and the massive White Tower, built in 1078 by the Norman king, William the Conqueror, to protect London and discourage rebellion among his Saxon subjects. Every king after him added to the main structure that finally enclosed an 18-acre square by the late 13th century. Walk around the top of them for a bird's eye view of how the Tower of London would have looked in its heyday.

The Yeoman warders or "Beefeaters", have guarded the Tower for centuries. The famous Yeoman Warders tour is the most popular for visitors and is included in your Tower of London admission ticket. The ‘Beefeaters’, as they are nicknamed, have long been symbols of London and Britain. It is thought their nickname is derived from their position in the Royal Bodyguard, which permitted them to eat as much beef as they wanted from the king's table. The Beefeaters will entertain you with bloody tales of intrigue, imprisonment, execution, torture and more. The Tower held many famous prisoners from the highest levels of society and some in astonishing comfort and others less so.

The History of The Tower of London

The Jewel House in Waterloo Barracks is a must-see where the treasured Crown Jewels have been kept since 1968. Most of the very valuable Crown Jewels date from after 1660, since the older regalia were sold or melted down during the Commonwealth. Particularly notable items in this unique collection are: Edward's Crown, of pure gold, made for the coronation of Charles II and still used in the crowning of British sovereigns; the Imperial State Crown, set with over 2,800 diamonds and other precious stones, including a huge ruby and worn by Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt; one of the two "Stars of Africa" cut from the Cullinan Diamond, the largest ever found; the Imperial Indian Crown (made in 1911), set with almost 6000 precious stones; Queen Elizabeth's Crown, with the famous 106-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond; and the Royal Sceptre, with the second "Star of Africa", the largest cut diamond in the world (530 carats). A moving walkwayis meant to keep visitors flowing through, but it can still be a long wait.

The Chapel Royal of St. Peter and Vincula contains the graves of all the unfortunates executed at the Tower. The Scaffold Site is where the axeman dispatched seven of the highest-ranking victims, including Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Everyone else met their end on Tower Green. Every night for 700 years, the guards have secured the Tower of London with the ritual Ceremony of the Keys.

A leisurely and more relaxing way to see London is on a Thames River tour. Cruise on the majestic River Thames and pass some of the historic landmarks of London: Lambeth Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Tate Morden, St. Pauls Cathedral, Globe Theater, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, Tower of London and Tower Bridge to name just a few. They usually pick up and drop off at the central London piers. All sightseeing cruises are usually with a full commentary. Check out http://www.citycruises.com/ for more information on their passenger operating tours. On chilly days, be sure to grab an inside seat as the city's chill seeps up through the hull.

Sydney, Australia - Part 3

The state of New South Wales is more than just the city of Sydney. The Blue Mountains is part of the Great Dividing Range that separates the lush eastern coastal strip from the more arid interior. These mountains are spectacular with tall eucalyuptus trees, deep river valleys, waterfalls, and craggy cliffs. The Blue Mountains derive their name from the ever-present blue haze that is caused by light striking the droplets of the eucalyptus oil that evaporate from the leaves of the dense surrounding forest these eucalyptus trees. There are also vineyards in the lower Hunter Valley of the Blue Mountain. The Hunter Valley not only a major site for coal mining, but is the oldest commercial wine producing area in Australia.

If you want to use a guided tour to be sure to explore all the key attractions in the Blue Mountains, there are several private bus operators that offer day trips from Sydney. Oz Trek Adventure Tours (http://www.oztrek.com.au/) is one of the better ones. The day trip not only includes a visit to the key sites in the Blue Mountain, but also a tour of the Sydney Olympic site and a visit to a wildlife park where you can see kangaroos and wallabies in the wild.

Featherdale Wildlife Park at Doonside (near Blacktown) is Sydney’s ultimate interactive wildlife experience. You can hand feed a kangaroo, wallaby or emu - or enjoy a face-to-face encounter with one of our friendly koalas - amongst one of Australia's largest private collections of Australian native animals and bird life. Featherdale's facilities include a Café, souvenir shop and shady picnic areas with BBQ's. The Park is conveniently located just 40mins from Sydney’s CBD and is en route to the famous Blue Mountains. Winner of ‘Major Tourist Attraction’ Award at the Tourism NSW Awards in 2005.




Katoomba is the largest town in the Blue Mountains and the focal point of the Blue Mountains National Park. The town is about 2 hours outside of Sydney by train, bus or car. The most visited and photographed attraction in the Blue Mountains are the rock formations known as the Three Sisters. The most popular place to view the Three Sisters is at Echo Point. Two viewing platforms extend out over the valley, offering panoramic views of the rock formations. Aboriginal legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry. The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle. As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come. In reality, the Three Sisters were created through erosion. According to the Australian Museum, the pinnacles are made of Triassic sandstone and were formed when wind and rain caused perpendicular joins in the rock to wear away, leaving the three blocks of sandstone separated by steep vertical cliffs.

While the Three Sisters are the most popular attraction in this part of Katoomba, there are plenty of other things to see and do. At nearby Scenic World (http://www.scenicworld.com.au/), the glass-bottomed Skyway offers visitors dizzying views as it rides over the Jamison Valley. Skyway is a cable car that travels 984 feet above the Jamison Valley and the round trip takes about 6 minutes. The views are spectacular. The Scenic Railway is the world’s steepest incline railway. It consists of a carriage on rails that plunges 1,361 ft. into the Jamison Valley at a maximum incline of 52 degrees. It is very steep and quite a thrill riding down the escarpment to the valley floor below or riding up. Many take the Skyway down, going for the walk in the Valley, and taking the Railway up (backward seated) or vice versa.

There are several bush walks from Echo Point via the Giant Stairway. This descending staircase of 900 steps and runways was originally constructed in 1909 and some of the original chisel marks are still visible. The Giant Stairway provides a spectacular entry to the Jamison Valley and located adjacent to the Three Sisters, on Prince Henry Cliff Walk and the Cliff Drive. Even though many of the steps had to be hewn out of the cliff and metal stairs installed at other points, an effort was made to take advantage of the natural ledges, erosions and projections. At the bottom, walkers can then enjoy the lush rainforest of the Jamison Valley with its canyon, waterfalls, and underground rivers.